Comfiest bike?

[Guest Swagman]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

 

I find my fjr OK but it could be a lot better! 

 

After 4 or 5 hours a leg stretch is a must and about 300 miles max in a day is my limit 

4 or 5 hours feck me I’m done after 45 minutes.

[onesea]

 

IMHO there is no "comfortable" bike some fit some better than others.

You learn to move and take advantage to make for comfort...

Edited January 8, 2021 by onesea

[Steve_M]

6 hours ago, MotorcycleTourer said:

Thanks for all your suggestions! I’m really surprised nobody mentioned anything from BMW. And I was sure somebody would bring up Yammy’s FJR! 

I was disappointed in the comfort level of my FJR after owning a Triumph Tiger 1050. I even changed the seat for a custom seat, though my choice of custom seat was poor. My R1200GS is better, though not the comfiest bike I’ve owned. That accolade belongs to either my Honda CX500 Eurosport or my Honda ST1100. Neither of which seem relevant to this discussion.

[Guest Swagman]

28 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

I was disappointed in the comfort level of my FJR after owning a Triumph Tiger 1050. I even changed the seat for a custom seat, though my choice of custom seat was poor. My R1200GS is better, though not the comfiest bike I’ve owned. That accolade belongs to either my Honda CX500 Eurosport or my Honda ST1100. Neither of which seem relevant to this discussion.

I have found that the older I get the more uncomfortable i am.

[Gerontious]

its pot luck where seats are concerned. comfortable or an instrument of torture, you might as well toss a coin. the vast majority of seats have just two purposes. to look good on the bike in the showroom/brochure. and to be comfortable enough for the usual duration of a test ride.

[MotorcycleTourer]

23 hours ago, husoi said:

One thing to consider is how hard your behind is... 

We all know how stiff Lancastrians' bottoms are 

 As a staunch northerner, nothing would please me more than to tell you my arse is well ‘ard! Unfortunately, it’s nowhere near as ‘ard as the seat on my flipping Africa Twin

[MotorcycleTourer]

22 hours ago, RigsVille said:

I had an FJR and found it very uncomfortable, some bikes just fit some people.

This is so true. I had a VRF a few years back. Everybody used to tell me how comfortable they were to ride, yet mine felt like it was trying to tear my spine out every time I got on it.

[MotorcycleTourer]

22 hours ago, Stu said:

 

I find my fjr OK but it could be a lot better! 

 

After 4 or 5 hours a leg stretch is a must and about 300 miles max in a day is my limit 

Cheers Stu I’ve only ever ridden one for the blood bikes and I found it really comfortable to ride.

 

But then again, I never rode 300 miles a day on it! 
 

I think even the most arduous of riders want to get off for a leg stretch after 5 hours

[MotorcycleTourer]

18 hours ago, Swagman said:

I have found that the older I get the more uncomfortable i am.

I hadn’t thought about that... am I just getting old? Noooooo!!

[Shepherd]

My Deauville munches through the miles, and after a 3 hour ride last week, I still felt comfortable. 

Not the most exciting bike mind 

[MotorcycleTourer]

9 minutes ago, Shepherd said:

My Deauville munches through the miles, and after a 3 hour ride last week, I still felt comfortable. 

Not the most exciting bike mind 

My dad is on his second Deauville, he had the 650 and now the 700. Having ridden both, I have to agree with you. I’m surprised my dad hasn’t replied to this thread to say as much actually... I’m sure he’s on this forum

[stedebs]

with a small addition any seat can be comfy ........ the problem then is if the bike is too high lol. For long journeys where I'm not going to be stopping regularly I now have one of these  

 

[Guest Swagman]

6 hours ago, MotorcycleTourer said:

I hadn’t thought about that... am I just getting old? Noooooo!!

That could be the case.

[skyrider]

5 hours ago, stedebs said:

with a small addition any seat can be comfy ........ the problem then is if the bike is too high lol. For long journeys where I'm not going to be stopping regularly I now have one of these  

 

you could fit a lowering link if there is one available for your bike 

Edited January 9, 2021 by skyrider

[Pie man]

I bought myself an old man ass cushion (Air Hawk) makes a big difference on transit days when I need to cover 500+ miles    

[Stu]

On 08/01/2021 at 13:28, Steve_M said:

I was disappointed in the comfort level of my FJR after owning a Triumph Tiger 1050. I even changed the seat for a custom seat, though my choice of custom seat was poor. My R1200GS is better, though not the comfiest bike I’ve owned. That accolade belongs to either my Honda CX500 Eurosport or my Honda ST1100. Neither of which seem relevant to this discussion.

 

How does the GS compare to the FJR in terms of comfort? and also pillion comfort? 

[stedebs]

6 hours ago, skyrider said:

you could fit a lowering link if there is one available for your bike 

yeah I thought that lol and I might yet......... If i'm riding solo I don't stop except to fuel up ........ if i ride as a group we stop for coffee  ...... lunch etc (and i don't need it). I borrowed one last year and most of the time it's great except for moving the bike around the garage and short journeys I don't bother ...... longer journeys (more than an hour in the saddle) I did use it lol. 

[skyrider]

4 minutes ago, stedebs said:

yeah I thought that lol and I might yet......... If i'm riding solo I don't stop except to fuel up ........ if i ride as a group we stop for coffee  ...... lunch etc (and i don't need it). I borrowed one last year and most of the time it's great except for moving the bike around the garage and short journeys I don't bother ...... longer journeys (more than an hour in the saddle) I did use it lol. 

yes it's worth a thought

[rennie]

I bought the cruiser because it was better for my knees

but it gave me back ache! 

 

It's all about compromise! I have to stop every 90 mins, on the vfr to put fuel in anyway

[Steve_M]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

 

How does the GS compare to the FJR in terms of comfort? and also pillion comfort? 

I’d put the GS on par with the FJR, edging it because the knee angle is less acute.

 

My good lady hasn’t done many miles on pillion but reports that it’s fine and, again, because the knee bend is less acute she prefers it. She much prefers the higher seat relative to the rider on the GS because she has a better view. The pillion on the Tiger was particularly raised and changing to the lower pillion on the FJR she felt it was, for want of a better word, claustrophobic. The GS is much better in that aspect. 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2021 by Steve_M

[Stu]

6 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

on the FJR she felt it was, for want of a better word, claustrophobic.

 

The wife likes this!! I just think she wants to be close to me  

 

The issue I find with the FJR is the aerodynamics! Despite the big fairing and screen then wind buffeting is unreal! I have tried all sorts of screens too yet I felt less buffeting on my mates F800GS  

[Steve_M]

10 hours ago, Stu said:

 

The wife likes this!! I just think she wants to be close to me  

 

The issue I find with the FJR is the aerodynamics! Despite the big fairing and screen then wind buffeting is unreal! I have tried all sorts of screens too yet I felt less buffeting on my mates F800GS  

In our case, the higher pillion position allows her to see more and, as the photographer, take better pictures.

 

I agree about the screen on the FJR. Both the Tiger and the GS cause less helmet buffeting (ooh-er missus ). I had a MRA flip up screen (the one with the separate little wing on it) on the Tiger which made a significant improvement to that, though. I have been very surprised by the effectiveness to the GS screen. I do miss the electric adjustment, though. 

[Stu]

25 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

In our case, the higher pillion position allows her to see more and, as the photographer, take better pictures.

 

I agree about the screen on the FJR. Both the Tiger and the GS cause less helmet buffeting (ooh-er missus ). I had a MRA flip up screen (the one with the separate little wing on it) on the Tiger which made a significant improvement to that, though. I have been very surprised by the effectiveness to the GS screen. I do miss the electric adjustment, though. 

 

I have used a huge barn door but the buffeting is unreal! I now have a standard screen with a spoiler which is much better 

 

I took a triumph trophy 1200SE for a test ride a few years ago and that was pretty good as was the R1200rt too 

[onesea]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

 

I have used a huge barn door but the buffeting is unreal! I now have a standard screen with a spoiler which is much better 

 

I took a triumph trophy 1200SE for a test ride a few years ago and that was pretty good as was the R1200rt too 

I think about 15 years ago looking at motorbike design makers realised    Fully faired bikes have there issues when it comes to buffeting, trying to protect the rider form every bit of wind doesn't work particularly over about 50 mph (maybe why it works for scooters?).

Most modern touring bikes have screens and fairings that let air passed the rider just in a controlled manner.

I know with my Trophy I tried various screen sizes settling on the shortest with flip like @Stu  I have the same on my TDM.

[skyrider]

14 hours ago, Steve_M said:

I’d put the GS on par with the FJR, edging it because the knee angle is less acute.

 

My good lady hasn’t done many miles on pillion but reports that it’s fine and, again, because the knee bend is less acute she prefers it. She much prefers the higher seat relative to the rider on the GS because she has a better view. The pillion on the Tiger was particularly raised and changing to the lower pillion on the FJR she felt it was, for want of a better word, claustrophobic. The GS is much better in that aspect. 

 

 

claustrophobic probably means she was looking at the back of your lid all the time